Engine shutdown reset control



Nov. 1, 1966 SHOLL ET AL 3,283,104

ENGINE SHUTDOWN RESET CONTROL Filed Nov. 16, 1964 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 F/Gj o F/G. 3

" 26 INVENTORS 5 flPrm/R /-T 5/4044 fk/T/OPH M Naso/v I AOOLP/L/ n4 GEE/664907 Nov. 1, 1966 SHOLL ET AL 3,283,104

ENGINE SHUTDOWN RESET CONTROL Filed Nov. 16, 1964 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 /60- W l ,200 q I I l I z 1 l TI I I I U INVENTORS ARTHUR F SHOLL PAW 7'/0PH M M94 so/v A004 H W @55 HARDT United States Patent 3,283,164 ENGINE SHUTDOWN RESET QONTRQL Arthur 15. Shell, 79% .losept St., Fritioph M. Nelson, 2864 Titus, and Adolph W. Gebhardt, 5704- North 52, all of Omaha, Nehr.

Filed Nov. 16, 1964, Ser. No. 411,371 6 Claims. or. 200-153) This invention relates to a safety, shutdown, or protective device for machinery, marine diesel'engines and the like, and in particular to a control apparatus for restarting the engine, thereby overriding an engine shutdown device a predetermined number of times.

The purpose of this invention is to provide a re-starter for an engine or machine where an automatic device has stopped the operation of the machine due to malfunction or faulty operation, when an operator of the machine feels that the stopping of the machine was not warranted.

On diesel engines and similar machinery various types of alarms are used to warn operators of overheating of vital parts, lack of coolant liquid, gas blown into a crankcase and so forth. These alarms send a signal which automatically shuts down the engine or machine, then rings a bell and lights a light near an engineers station.

Since the alarm devices might have accidentally gone off when there has been no actual breakdown or other trouble, the engineer is provided with a reset button to push to re-start the engine if in his judgment the alarm is false or the malfunction will not cause serious damage. In many cases the engineer is in error, and by continuously re-starting the engine permanent costly damage results.

The invention embodies a wheel or shaft member having a certain number of teeth on a portion thereof, a casing in which the member is mounted, a spring for biasing the member in a predetermined direction, a latch having a tooth on one side thereof pivotally mounted in the casing, resilient means for urging the latch against the member whereby to hold the member against the bias of the spring, a switch having a switch arm with a roller thereon positioned with the roller in engagement with the teeth, whereby movement of the member opens and closes the switch, a number of times only, depending on the number of teeth, said switch having leads that extend to various automatic shutdown devices, and a button having a spring return means in combination therewith for moving the latch to release the member to effect a re-starting of a machine or the like.

It is another object of this invention to provide a restarting control that will allow an engineer to re-start an engine only a limited number of times in order to check the alarm system, to determine whether it has or has not been accidentally set off or if the malfunction is only temporary.

Another object is to provide a shutdown reset control for machines, engines, and the like that is tamper proof and may be opened only by authorized persons provided with a lock key.

A further object is the provision of visible numbers on a moving part of a shutdown reset control for engines, machines, and the like whereby an inspector can readily ascertain if the engine has been re-started, and how many times.

Yet another object of this invention is to provide a reset control capable of attaining the above designated objectives which is economical to manufacture, simple but rugged in construction, and effective in operation.

Other objects, features and advantages of the present invention will appear from the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, wherein:

FIG. 1 is a plan view of the shutdown reset control ice with the cover for mounting the lock and button removed, the parts being shown in the position they would be in had an authorized person, with a key, turned the ratchet or toothed wheel as far as possible clockwise, whereby three re-starts are available to the engineer and the number 1 has not yet appeared under the window of the cover;

FIG. 2 is a cross sectional view taken on line 22 of FIG. 1, the cover, lock with key inserted, and re-start button also being shown in their relative positions;

FIG. 3 is a partial top plan view of the ratchet cogtoothed wheel, latch, and switch in a position at the moment when a re-start button cam has moved the latch away from the wheel and the cam is now momentarily preventing the wheel from turning, and wherein the electrical switch lever roller has moved out of full engagement with a notch of the wheel and has slightly depressed the switch button;

FIG, 4 is a sectional view taken on line 4--4 of FIG. 2, showing a cocking arm attached to the lower end of the lock, the normal position of the arm being shown in full lines and the dotted lines indicating the position of the arm at the moment when an authorized person has inserted a key and turned the lock tumbler clockwise in order to fully cock the reset control invention; and

FIG. 5 is a longitudinal section through a shutdown reset control showing a modification wherein the actuating carn head operates a sliding ratchet bar instead of a wheel to obtain the control function.

In the accompanying drawings, and in the following specification, the same reference characters are used to designate the same parts and elements throughout.

The reset control comprises a circular, rotatable wheel having a circular, upstanding hub 16 the upper portion or end 12 of which is cut away in a semi-circular manner, and which hub It; is integral with a fiat, circular flange 14 having a diameter greater than the outer diameter of the hub 16. The flange 14 is provided with peripheral teeth 16 positioned to be engaged by a cam head 18 (FIGS. 2 and 3) which also engages an inner edge of a latch 20 pivotally mounted by a pin 22 in a housing having a base 24, side walls 26 and 28, end walls 30 and 32 and a cover 34- (FIG, 2). The cover 34 is provided with a flange 36 that fits snugly over the upper exposed edge of the housing.

The hub 10 of the wheel is rotatably mounted on a stud 38 (FIG. 1) extended from a boss 40 (FIG. 2) of the base 24 of the housing, and the extended end of the stud 38 is provided with a nut 42 threadable downwardly toward the flange 14. The inner edge of the latch 29 is provided with a tooth 44 (H6. 1) that is positioned to engage any one of the teeth 16 of the flange 14. The face of the hub end 12 is provided with numerals 1, 2 and 3, as indicated by the reference numeral 46, representing three stations at which the wheel may stop although it will be understood that as many stations as may be desired can be provided.

The wheel 10 is biased in a counter-clockwise direction by a spring 48 one end of which is anchored to the hub 10 by a bolt 50, and the other end of which is secured to the housing end wall 32 by a bolt 52. The latch 29 is biased toward the teeth 16 of the flange 14 by a spring 54, one end of which is secured by a bolt 56 to the free end of the latch 20 and the opposite end of which is anchored by a bolt 58 to the side wall 26.

An on-off electric switch 64 is mounted within the housing, and has a pair of leads 6t) and 62 running through a conduit 66 externally of the housing for electrical connection to relays or the like which reset various automatic shutdown devices. A lever 61 is pivotally connected at 63 to the switch housing, and is provided at its outer end with a roller 65, It will be noted from FIG. I

meant I '8 that when the latch 28 is positioned to prevent the wheel from rotating, the roller 65 is interposed between a pair of teeth 16. Thus, the plunger 67 for the switch 64 is not depressed and the circuit through leads 60, 62 are open.

Referring to FIG. 3, however, upon movement of the latch 20 away from the wheel 10 to permit same to rotate as hereinafter described, the lever 61 is depressed, the plunger 67 depressed, and the particular shutdown device energized as may be desired to enable it to again detect an engine malfunction.

The shutdown reset control of this invention includes further a button 68 (FIG. 2) slidably mounted in the head 70 of a tube 72 positioned in an opening 74 formed in the cover 34. The tube is secured in position by a lock nut 76. The cam head 18 is carried by a stem 81 extended from the button 68, and the button is urged outwardly by a spring 82 in the tube and positioned between the inner end of the button and end 84 of the tube.

As the button is pressed inwardly the cam head engages the inner edge of the latch 20 (FIG. 3) forcing the latch 21) outwardly and away from the wheel 10. The wheel then turns slightly, due to its bias, until a tooth 16a bears against the cam 18. When the button 68 is released, the wheel turns until the latch 20 engages the next tooth. Thus, the wheel turns visibly from the number 1 to 2, for example.

Four bolts 86 (FIG. 2) extend upwardly through the corners of the housing, being threaded into the cover 34. The heads of the bolts 86 may be partially welded over as at 88 to prevent tampering with ordinary tools. The said housing and cover constitute thereby an enclosure casing 89. The cover 34 is also provided with a window 118 (FIG. 2) having a glass disc 120 secured in an opening 122 of the cover by ferrules 124 and 126.

A tumbler body 90 (FIG. 2) of a lock 92 is inserted through an opening 94 formed in the cover 34. A collar 96 and a nut 98 retain the lock in position. A removable key 100 turns a latch or cocking ar-m 102 secured by a nut 104 to a tumbler shaft 106 of the said lock. The cocking arm 102 has a boss 188 (FIGS. 2 and 4) integrally formed therewith having a recessed perimeter portion 110 into which a stop lug 112, depending from the body 90, extends. Thus, the key 1% may turn the cocking arm 162 only ninety degrees clockwise as viewed in FIG. 4. The arm 102 may engage the semicircular end 112 for turning the mechanism to an initial or cocked position as shown by FIG. 1.

In themodification shown in FIG. 5, a ratchet bar 150 having ends 152 and 154 slidably mounted in openings 156 and 158 in a housing 160, is provided with notches 162 in one edge and teeth 164 on the opposite edge. The notches 162 are positioned to receive a roller 166 on a switch arm 168 whereby the roller 166 snaps into the notches to retain the ratchet bar in several positions. The roller or switch arm 168 is positioned to engage a plunger 170 extended from a switch 172, and leads 174 and 176 extend from the switch through a conduit 178 to an engine shutdown device to reactuate same,

The teeth 164 are positioned to be engaged by the cam head 188, similar to the cam head 18, and also by a tooth 182 on a latch 184 pivotally mounted in the housing 160 and urged toward the ratchet bar 150 by a spring 186.

Upon pressing the cam head 180 inwardly by a button, similar to the button 68, the latch 184 is moved outwardly, moving the tooth 182 out of the path ofthe teeth 164. The ratchet bar is thereby snapped in the direction of an arrow 188, by a spring 190, one end of which is attached by a bolt 192 to the switch 172, and the other to a lug 194 on the ratchet bar. Movement of the bar 158 actuates the roller 166 and the switch button 176 to close the switch 172.

With the parts assembled as illustrated and described, an engineer or operator of a machine, engine, or the like, may set the control so that in the event of a breakdown or other damage to a machine the operation of the machine is stopped, and the machine does not start again until the button 68 is pressed inwardly. As the malfunction of the machine or engine may be serious the engineer or operator may be limited to starting the machine only three times, before the error or broken part is repaired.

In starting the machine it is only necessary to press the button 68 inwardly to close the switch 6 1 or 172, after which the machine will start. Each time the engine or machine is started the wheel is advanced the distance between the numerals, so that numerals 1, 2 or 3 will show through the window 118; and by this means an inspector may readily determine how many times the engine, machine, or the like has been re-started.

The cover 200 of the modification of FIG. 5 may be locked down as illustrated at 202 whereby an authorized person may unlock and remove the cover 200 recocking the mechanism by manually moving the ratchet bar in a direction opposite the arrow 188.

The described numerals 46 and window 118 may also be employed on the face of the bar 150 and viewed in the same manner as with the wheel.

Although a preferred embodiment and a modification thereof have been described hereinbefore, it is to be remembered that various other modifications and alternate constructions may be made thereto without departing from the true spirit and scope of the invention as defined in the appended claims.

We claim:

1. A device for re-starting an engine comprising in combination:

a housing;

switch means mounted in said housing, said switch means operable when actuated to effect a re-starting of the engine;

switch actuating means movably mounted in said housing and engageable with said switch means, said switch actuating means operable upon movement to intermittently actuate said switch means;

means mounted in said housing, engaged with and tending to move said switch actuating means;

stop means mounted in said housing, engaged with said switch actuating means and preventing said switch actuating means from moving; and release means insertable between said switch actuating means and said stop means and engageable with said stop means to effect a release of said switch actuating means by said stop means, said switch actuating means movable a predetermined distance to actuate said switch means; said release means simultaneously disposed in the path of said switch actuating means and engageable by said switch actuating means after movement thereof said predetermined distance, defining thereby the limit of said distance of movement, while positioned to eifect the release by said stop means. 2. A device for re-starting an engine comprising in combination:

a housing; switch means mounted in said housing and operable when actuated to efiect a re-starting of the engine;

sw1tch actuating means including a movable member having a plurality of teeth formed therein, said member engageable with said switch means and operable upon rotation to intermittently actuate said switch means;

resilient means mounted in said housing, engaged with and tending to move said member;

stop means mounted in said housing, engaged with at least one of said teeth, said stop means continuously biased toward said teeth and when engaged therewitih operable to prevent movement of said member; an

release means movable between a pair of said teeth,

one tooth engaged by said stop means, said release I means disposed in the path of movement of the other tooth, said release means engageable with said stop means to move said stop means out of engagement with said teeth.

3. A device as defined in claim 2, and further wherein only a predetermined number of teeth are provided, said resilient means ineffective to move said member after a predetermined amount of movement of said member has occured.

4. A device as defined in claim 3, and further wherein means is engageable with said member to move said member in a direction against the bias of said resilient means to cock said member.

5. A device for re-starting an engine comprising in combination:

a housing;

switch means mounted in said housing, said switch means operable when actuated to elfect a are-starting of the engine;

switch actuating means including a wheel rotatably mounted in said housing and having a plurality of teeth formed on a peripheral edge thereof, said edge engageable with said switch means and operable upon rotation to intermittently actuate said switch means; means mounted in said housing, engaged with and tending to move said switch actuating means; stop means mounted in said housing, engaged with said switch actuating means and preventing said switch actuating means from moving; and

release means movable between a pair of said teeth,

one tooth engaged by said stop means, said release means disposed in the path of movement of the other tooth, said release means engageable with said stop means to move said stop means out of engagement with said teeth.

6. A device for re-starting an engine comprising in combination:

ahousing;

switch means mounted in said housing, said switch means operable when actuated to eflect a re-starting of the engine;

switch actuating means including a bar reciprocally mounted in said housing and having a plurality of teeth formed on an edge thereof, said edge engageable with said switch means and operable upon movement to intermittently actuate said switch means;

means mounted in said housing, engaged with and tending to move said switch actuating means;

stop means mounted in said housing, engaged with said switch actuating means and preventing said switch actuating means from moving; and

release means movable between a pair of said teeth, one tooth engaged by said stop means, said release means disposed in the path of movement of the other tooth, said release means engageable with said stop means to move said stop means out of engagement with said teeth.

References Cited by the Examiner FOREIGN PATENTS 15,522 4/1908 Great Britain.

ROBERT K. SCHAEFER, Primary Examiner. 

1. A DEVICE FOR RE-STARTING AN ENGINE COMPRISING IN COMBINATION: A HOUSING; SWITCH MEANS MOUNTED IN SAID HOUSING, SAID SWITCH MEANS OPERABLE WHEN ACTUATED TO EFFECT A RE-STARTING OF THE ENGINE; SWITCH ACTUATING MEANS MOVABLY MOUNTED IN SAID HOUSING AND ENGAGEABLE WITH SAID SWITCH MEANS, SAID SWITCH ACTUATING MEANS OPERABLE UPON MOVEMENT TO INTERMITTENTLY ACTUATE SAID SWITCH MEANS; MEANS MOUNTED IN SAID HOUSING, ENGAGED WITH AND TENDING TO MOVE SAID SWITCH ACTUATING MEANS; STOP MEANS MOUNTED IN SAID HOUSING, ENGAGED WITH SAID SWITCH ACTUATING MEANS AND PREVENTING SAID SWITCH ACTUATING MEANS FROM MOVING; AND RELEASE MEANS INSERTABLE BETWEEN SAID SWITCH ACTUATING MEANS AND SAID STOP MEANS AND ENGAGEABLE WITH SAID STOP MEANS TO EFFECT A RELEASE OF SAID SWITCH ACTUATING MEANS BY SAID STOP MEANS, SAID SWITCH ACTUATING MEANS MOVABLE A PREDETERMINED DISTANCE TO ACTUATE SAID SWITCH MEANS; SAID RELEASE MEANS SIMULTANEOUSLY DISPOSED IN THE PATH OF SAID SWITCH ACTUATING MEANS AND ENGAGEABLE BY SAID SWITCH ACTUATING MEANS AFTER MOVEMENT THEREOF SAID PREDETERMINED DISTANCE, DEFINING THEREBY THE LIMIT OF SAID DISTANCE OF MOVEMENT, WHILE POSITIONED TO EFFECT THE RELEASE BY SAID STOP MEANS. 